


Quid Pro Quo

by thebirdroads



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Gen, Sylvain Jose Gautier Being An Idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29851542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebirdroads/pseuds/thebirdroads
Summary: Sylvain would really like to read Bernie's latest chapter, but she wants him to do her a favor first. Sylvain, always the gentleman, agrees.
Relationships: Bernadetta von Varley/Hubert von Vestra, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Bernadetta von Varley
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	Quid Pro Quo

“Sylvain! Oh, Sylvain!”   
  
Sylvain turned to see...what was her name…yes, that was it.   
  
“Agnes, right?”   
  
Agnes giggled. “You remembered!”   
  
Sylvain smiled. 

“How could I forget, after our lovely tea the other day?”   
  
As she blushed, Sylvain felt a little thrill of triumph. Agnes was merely the younger daughter of a minor merchant from the Alliance territory, so she was hardly an impressive conquest, but she had certain other...assets that had caught his eye. And she was a sweet enough girl, and clearly enamored with him, so her seduction was hardly a challenge. He even enjoyed her company somewhat!    
  
“Oh, you charmer. Anyway, I chased you down so I could, um…”   
  
Sylvain noticed that she was fiddling with something in her hands.

“Why, Agnes, are you offering me your handkerchief as a token?”   
  
She blushed scarlet.   
  
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have presumed-”   
  
He reached out and stroked her cheek, eliciting a squeak.   
  
“I’d be honored to take it from you.”   
  
Agnes nodded furiously and pressed the handkerchief into his hands, before bowing briefly.   
  
“Thank you, I mean, um, please take this as a token of my, um, oh, you know how it goes!”   
  
Sylvain laughed.    
  
“I sure do, and thank you! I’ll be sure to treasure it always. Now, I gotta go, before-”   
  
“Sylvain.”   
  
Sylvain grimaced as he heard Felix’s voice, the sourpuss swordsman having just emerged from the training hall.    
  
“Before that happens. I’ll see you later, Agnes!”  
  
Agnes beamed.   
  
“You too! I mean, um, I’ll see you later too! Bye!”   
  
She scurried off, hands covering her astonishingly red face, as Sylvain chuckled, put the handkerchief in his breast pocket, and turned to face the music.

“Fancy seeing you here, Felix!”   
  
“Agnes, huh? Should I add her to the list of names you expect me to remember, or are you gonna be cutting the poor girl loose soon?”

“Haha, funny. But, yeah, this isn’t anything serious. I figure I’ll probably go on a couple more tea dates, see if we can take things a little further, if you know what I mean.”   
  
Felix rolled his eyes.   
  
“Ugh. Why’d you take the handkerchief if you’re not serious about this? Not that you ever are, but you know what I mean.”   
  
Sylvain tapped the side of his nose.   
  
“Insurance, Felix! Any time a girl starts to doubt me, I make sure she sees me mooning over her token, so she thinks I’ve only got eyes for her!”   
  
“And that works?”   
  
“Sometimes!” 

“Unbelievable. Anyway, have you seen Ingrid around?”

“No, or else she’d be giving me yet another lecture about my Improper Behavior, right?”   
  
“I still haven’t ruled it out. Anyway, if you run into her, let her know I was looking for her.”   
  
“Will do. I’m gonna swing by the dining hall for some dinner, you wanna come with?”   
  
“No, I think I might check the stables. Try not to seduce any more maidens on the way, if you can.”   
  


Sylvain chuckled and the two bid farewell, Sylvain heading for the dining hall. As he entered, he noticed Bernadetta sitting all by herself in the corner. He knew it was unusual to see her out of her room, but she had to eat sometime, though she didn’t seem to have any food at the moment. He looked over at the menu and saw, to his delight, that they were serving two fish saute, which he happened to know he and Bernadetta both enjoyed. He grabbed two servings and made his way to Bernadetta’s table. She looked around, panicked, as she realized he was approaching, but as he set the trays of two fish saute down on the table, she shrugged and started eating, though still casting him suspicious glances now and then.   
  
“Evening, Bernadetta,” he began.   
  
She finished chewing and gulped.    
  
“What are you up to, Sylvain?”   
  
“Nothing, honest! Can’t a man simply enjoy a meal with a lovely lady friend? Besides, you were sitting all by yourself, so I felt you might enjoy some company.”   
  
“I rarely do, but I suppose I appreciate the gesture. You’re not here to ask to see more of my writing, are you?”   
  
Sylvain held a hand to his chest in mock affront.   
  
“I would never! Why, do you have any on hand?”   
  
Bernie resumed chewing, and did not answer.   
  
“If you do have some, may I see it? I really do enjoy your writing.”   
  
She sighed.   
  
“I...might be persuaded to let you read some if you help me with a, um...problem I’m having.”   
  
Sylvain nodded enthusiastically.    
  
“Whatever is in my power to do, I’ll do it! I have to know how that cliffhanger in your previous chapter resolves!”   
  
“Ugh, ok. Well, here goes.” She took a deep breath, as if bracing herself.   
  
“How do I ask a boy if he wants to dance, at the ball next month?” 

Sylvain blinked.   
  
“Next month? Planning ahead, huh?”   
  
“I like to be prepared!”   
  
“Why are you asking me and not, say, Dorothea?”   
  
“Well, I was hoping to get a, um, male perspective. And I can’t exactly ask the boys in MY house, so…”   
  
Sylvain nodded. Caspar was a really friendly guy but he didn’t seem experienced in romance whatsoever, and Ferdinand was way too up his own ass to be of any help. Linhardt, if the rumors were true, had a bit more experience with both girls AND boys, but he also seemed to make it a point of pride to be as unhelpful as possible off of the battlefield. And obviously Bernadetta had no reason whatsoever to even TALK to Hubert, much less approach him for romantic advice. Did he even know what romance was, or was he too busy clinging to the imperial princess like Felix used to cling to Glenn when they were kids? Sylvain could hardly blame him, Edelgard was quite the cutie, if a bit intimidating.    
  
“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Not to toot my own horn but I consider myself a bit of an expert in the field of romance. Now, first things first, what sort of guy is he, the one you’re asking about?”   
  
Bernadetta flushed pink and looked down.   
  
“Well, he’s...kind of intimidating, which is a problem, but he can also be very kind. A lot of people think he’s really mean, but he’s not, he cares a lot about people in his own way. He’s very serious which is a shame because I think he’s c-cute on the rare occasions when he smiles…”   
  
Sylvain sat back and nodded. Well, she was clearly describing Felix, no two ways about it. There was a basically zero percent chance Felix would agree to dance with her, both due to his standoffish nature and the fact that Sylvain was pretty sure he was gay, but he could at least do Bernadetta the courtesy of making sure that Felix’s rejection was as tactful and gentle as possible. She was a nice girl, and her self esteem did not need any further deflation by Felix. Frankly, Sylvain should have discouraged her, but it would do her confidence some good to come out of her shell. And who knows, maybe Felix might take pity on her and agree to a waltz or two!    
  
“Ok, well, with a guy like that, what you’re gonna want to do is project confidence!”   
  
Bernadetta sighed.   
  
“I might as well give up, then.”   
  
Sylvain waved his hands.   
  
“No, no, no! That’s exactly the sort of self defeating attitude that won’t work! I don’t think a guy like the one you described would be the sort to laugh in your face if you asked, would he?”   
  
She shook her head.  


“I suppose not.”   
  
“Would he tell you to get away from him forever, that he never wanted to see you again?”   
  
“No…”   
  
“Then you have nothing to lose! And hey, think of it like this: Either he says yes, and you get to dance with the boy you like, or he says no and you can spend a nice quiet night all snug in your room!”   
  
“Hey, yeah, I hadn’t thought of that! Oh, Bernie, it’s a win win!”

Sylvain grinned, charmed as always by her habit of referring to herself in the third person.    
  
“There you go! Now, do you have an idea of when you’d like to ask him?”   
  
“Well, I’ll probably need some time to work up the nerve, so probably not until closer to the ball.”   
  
“Good plan!”   
  
He stared expectantly, and she sighed and slid the manuscript for her latest chapter across the table to him.   
  
“Fine, here you go.”   
  
He clapped his hands.   
  
“Wonderful, I simply love your writing! Well, I should be heading back to the dorms, so I will see you around! Best of luck!”

She nodded and went back to eating her two fish saute.   
  
As Sylvain departed the dining hall, he saw Ingrid, Felix, and Dimitri all heading back to the dorms. Calling out to them and waving his arms, he ran over. No time like the present to pull Felix aside and tell him to let Bernadetta down gently.

  
  


_ One Month Later _

  
  


“Sylvain!”   
  
Sylvain looked up from his champagne flute to see Felix striding towards him across the dance floor.

“Oh, hey, Felix, what’s up?”   
  
“Why did you tell me Bernadetta was going to ask me to the ball last month?? I’ve been on pins and needles dreading it ever since!”   
  
“Hey now, dread’s kind of harsh, she’s a nice enough gal.”   
  
Felix swatted at the air in irritation.   
  
“You know what I meant!”   
  
Sylvain sighed.    
  
“Look, she asked me for advice on how to ask a boy out to the ball last month, and she clearly described you when I asked who she was talking about, so, you know.”   
  
“Well, looks like you were wrong, cause I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her all month! Which, you know, isn’t exactly unusual, but, obviously you were mistaken.”   
  
“Not likely. It’s not like she has a wide enough social circle to have a lot of potential suitors. You were the best fit. More likely she chickened out.”   
  
“Hmph. Well, whatever. I can’t believe I let Mercedes and Annette drag me out here tonight. I gotta get out of here before anyone  _ does  _ ask me to dance. Speaking of, where’s your lady friend Agnes?   
  
Sylvain blinked.   
  
“Who? Oh, right, her. Yeah, turns out she was more boring than I thought so I had to cut her loose.”   
  
“Sylvain, you didn’t-”   
  
“No, no, nothing untoward happened. I just left her a breakup letter. Really, I-oh shit!”   
  
Sylvain ducked behind a table as Agnes and her friends walked by, chatting. If she noticed him, she gave no sign.   
  
Felix rolled his eyes.   
  
“You are despicable.”   
  
“Hey, you know you love me.”   
  
“I most certainly do not! And before you ask, I am absolutely not running cover for you to hide from her all night. In fact, I’m heading out right now, so-oh!”   
  
Sylvain peeped his head out from behind the table.    
  
“Oh?”   
  
“Look who just came in,” Felix said, smirking.   
  
Sylvain looked and there was Bernadetta, her hair combed into a much more manageable look, and she even had some makeup on! Dorothea must have had a hand in it. And with her was…   
  
“Well, I’ll be fucked.”   
  


As they started dancing, Bernadetta and Hubert looked a bit stiff, but Sylvain realized that Bernadetta hadn’t been lying when she said a smile improved Hubert’s normally dour features. 


End file.
